1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to displaying images, and more particularly to image displaying devices capable of exhibiting changeable indicia.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are already known various constructions of image displaying devices or signs, among them such capable of displaying indicia that are changeable at will. In one type of such devices, of which examples can be found, for instance, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,223,464 to Winrow; 4,860,471 to Bonanomi; 3,789,525 to Bugg; 4,024,532 to Sherwin; and 5,315,775 to Parker et al., the displayed image is formed collectively by a plurality of segments each constituted by a separate element that is movable between its active and inactive positions in which it is visually distinguishable from, and blends with, its surroundings, respectively.
Devices of the kind disclosed in the first four of the patents listed above are frequently employed at airports, bus or train terminals or stations, or at other transportation centers or hubs for displaying, for instance, the departure and/or arrival times and destinations or points of origin of various flights, buses, trains or the like. Another frequent use for such devices is along or above streets, highways or similar traffic arteries to provide travelers either with advisory or warning information from proper authorities about road conditions or the like, or with advertising information relating, for instance, to nearby or upcoming business establishments such as those offering food, lodging or gas.
In these and similar applications, the remote addressability of the various elements that collectively constitute the changeable image being displayed necessitates the provision of respective drives for selectively moving such elements between their active and inactive positions, and of a control device that operates the drives in the desired manner as the image is being changed. This, of course, makes each such device quite complex and, consequently, expensive. Moreover, relatively highly skilled personnel is needed to operate the control device in the desired manner to produce the required image on the display device.
In view of these characteristics, display devices of this kind have not found their way into retail stores, even though there is a pronounced need for them to inform prospective customers of buying opportunities. While this degree of complexity is not present in the fifth of the aforementioned patents because that device is constructed for manual displacement of the elements between their active and inactive positions, that device is still quite complex and, hence, expensive because the mounting panel and the elements are not only made of a synthetic plastic material which is quite an expensive proposition, but also provided with separate shaft and bearing components for each of the elements, complicating their manufacture and particularly their assembly. Thus, even devices of this type are not alluring enough to cause them to be used in retail establishments.